Australian ultra-marathon swimmer Chloë McCardel has today become the first person to swim 126km unassisted in open water under Marathon Swimmers Federation international rules. Taking 42.5 hours, the 29 year old swam from Lighthouse Beach on the southern tip of Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, finishing at Nassau at around 1am local time (4pm Sydney time).

Upon ratification, Chloë will have completed the longest open-water solo, continuous, unassisted marathon swim in history.

Wearing only regulation bathers, a swimming cap and goggles, Chloe arrived exhausted, greeted by a group of locals and media, and was escorted by her husband and support crew for a medical check-up and few hours sleep.

Her husband, who travelled alongside her on the support boat and scheduled her various pauses for food and water, said: “I know she will take some time to recover from this massive achievement which she has spent her entire swimming career preparing for. She is elated at successfully setting this record in this way, and is a very, very proud Australian.”

Chloe is expected to remain in the Bahamas until comfortable enough to travel and is expected to arrive back in Australia in early November.

Chloë’s team has been accompanied by Channel Seven Australia, her TV media partner for this attempt.

ABOUT CHLOЁ McCARDEL:

Chloë McCardel is a 29 year old marathon swimmer. In October 2014, she became the first person to complete an open-water unassisted swim of 126km under MSF rules. In 2010, she won the prestigious 46km Manhattan Island Marathon. Chloë has also completed 7 solo crossings of the English Channel-including two non-stop double crossings.